How Important Role Motivation in E-Learning Plays?

In terms of education, motivation is the drive to achieve one’s academic goals. While there is extrinsic motivation that a student gains from external sources like supportive parents or inspiring teachers, there is also intrinsic motivation that he/she derives from self. As a student or a parent, you would know how important it is to stay motivated in order to gain new learning. However, let us have a look at some factors that play a significant role in student motivation when they opt for e-learning.

What brings motivation during e-learning?
Although motivation to learn can be a concern during classroom learning, it is a bigger concern when it comes to e-learning. While pursuing regular studies, students get motivated by peers, teachers and parents, as well as due to hundreds of other factors like interest in a subject and achievement drive. On the other hand, students who learn virtually do not receive external support and have to depend on intrinsic motivation in order to succeed in their learning efforts. Thus, their belief and value systems, cognitive factors, emotions, interests, and past learning and experiences play a major role in staying motivated. Read on to see how e-learning can better motivate students.

Enriched e-learning for higher motivation
Learning solely on their own via Internet and learning materials can be draining and sometimes demotivating for students. To induce some external motivation in such a case can relax them. Thus, e-learning providers have been trying to enrich the e-learning delivery methods by adding a human element to it. Modern e-learning is being made more interactive by expert online tutors who use engaging learning techniques, even via virtual platforms.

Students can now interact live with teachers who clear their doubts right away. There are online communities of students and teachers where e-learners can communicate and learn from and with each other. They can discuss the materials and topics with fellows and design a learning schedule with their assigned tutors. This also lets them balance their personal and work life with their academic life and save their time, leading to higher motivation in them to learn better.

Thus, it is true that students may miss team activities and collective learning done in the real classrooms, but an advanced virtual environment may compensate for it by staying available at their preferred convenient timings. Flexible and interactive learning can then become a motivational factor. However, it is also true that students need more of intrinsic motivation in order to take up virtual study.